The bible gives an account of two unnamed women who on different occasions came to Jesus with an alabaster box containing costly oil. On both occasions the women anointed Jesus with the expensive oil contained in the precious vessels and they were both commended by Jesus for their sacrifice. They both brought an offering that pleased the Lord.
“Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:9 NIV
There is yet another account of this beautiful act of worship, when Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Jesus with spikenard and then wiped his feet with her hair. Spikenard was a fragrance with a unique aroma that immediately revealed that it was the very best of perfumes. Interestingly, spikenard is also mentioned in reference to the love between the bride and groom in the book of Song of Solomon. This extravagant love offering poured out as an act of worship by Mary was her declaration to Jesus, ‘You alone are worthy’.
Throughout the bible, an offering that is pleasing to the Lord is described as a sweet-smelling aroma; the bible also includes teachings on how to make ourselves fragrant. When we become fragrant before our King, we move His heart.
The Lord has shared with me that He is looking for a people to inhabit and to show up for. He is looking for a people to rest upon and to bless with his presence and with his glory. God is looking for a people to mark as His, and for this purpose, He is inspecting our altars.
Just as God inspected the sacrifice brought by Cain and Abel and determined that which pleased Him and that which was acceptable to Him, the Lord is also inspecting our worship to Him; that is, our life as an instrument of Worship.
What have we presented to the Lord? Have we given our best, our first fruits? Or, have we come to the Lord merely out of duty? Have we come with faith? Have we come humbly or puffed up with pride?
As the Lord speaks to me about worship and what is an acceptable offering to Him. I hear Him saying continually… ‘This is what I require’.
When I enquired of the Lord why he was emphasizing this so much this season, He responded, “So that my fire can fall.”
He reminded me of the biblical story of what took place on Mount Carmel. How Elijah rebuilt the altar of the Lord which had been torn down and the Lord answered him by fire. The fire was a demonstration that He was the one true and living God. The story reveals that the Lord’s fire will not fall on a broken-down altar; the altar has to be rebuilt according to the instructions of the Lord.
The Lord is also speaking out of the book of Malachi:
“He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness. “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in former years.” Malachi 3:3-4 NKJV
In this hour I believe that the Lord is inviting us to come before Him and enquire of Him. ‘Is what I am doing (ministry or other) or how I am doing it pleasing you? Is this what you require? Are you pleased with my sacrifice, with my worship? Is it a sweet-smelling aroma in your nostrils?
Or am I instead bringing to you a Cain-like sacrifice with excuses of inconvenience, wanting to do things my way, mixed in with the sin of compromise?
I recently came upon the remix of a song originally sung by Matt Redman, I couldn’t help but notice that the lyrics spoke directly to what the Lord placed on my heart for this moment.
“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longin’ just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart
I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required”
[ The Heart of Worship – Matt Redman]
It is easy to forget when we live in a society that promotes our comfort level above all else, that what we offer to the Lord must cost us something and it must be our best; for only then will it be acceptable to Him. Instead of the pursuit of the comfortable and safe Christian life, our pursuit should be that which He requires and that which pleases Him; a sweet-smelling sacrifice.